NEWS FLASH!

NEW NAME: USC THORNTON SCHOOL OF MUSIC

On 23 March 1999, USC President, Steven B. Sample and Dean of USC School of Music, Larry Livingston announced the
largest gift ever given to an American music school - $25 million donated to the USC School of Music Endowment Fund by
renowned philanthropist, Flora Thornton. The School was renamed to honor her and the announcement was celebrated in
a special ceremony, the details of which were known only to the select few before the day of the event.

During
her speech, Ms. Thornton said that one of her tasks now is the distribution of the inheritance from her late
husband to various charitable causes. Why music? Ms. Thornton believes that music and the arts in general
provide people with spiritual respite and beauty that is more and more necessary in our stressful and
difficult times. We are as delighted about this wonderful development as all the students, faculty members
and staff at the USC Thornton School of Music. Perhaps even more so: the special articles about the naming of our
School of Music after Ms. Thornton (in Los Angeles Times and New York Times) included quotes from
Polish composer, Henryk Mikołaj Górecki who praised the "wonderful performers of the best orchestra he ever worked
with" - that is the USC student orchestra with whom he prepared North America's first performance of
Symphony no. 3 under his baton (3 October 1997). As organizers of the Górecki Autumn that included
this concert as its highlight, we are happy to be remembered during this momentous event for our home
institution.

Ms. Thornton pursued the career of a singer before her marriage to Mr. Charles B. "Tex" Thornton, the
leader of Litton Industries, and after his death in 1981 she became a patron of the arts. Before this donation
she created a scholarship for students of voice at USC and became a personal friend of the School. During
her remarks at the ceremony, Ms. Thornton expressed a belief that it is the role of the arts, especially
music, to re-introduce beauty, tranquility, and harmony to the modern world, so chaotic and filled with
violence. She emphasized that taking time to listen and to perform music makes the world a better place to live in.

NEWS:

THE CHOPIN YEAR

The National Philharmonic in Poland has planned 16 concerts for the
Chopin Year. Evgeni Kissin, Krystian Zimerman and Murray
Perahia are among the invited artists. Chopin in jazz form will be heard in the fall in concerts by
Adam Makowicz, Urszula Dudziak and Hanna Banaszak [reports
musicologist Zbigniew Granat in the Feb 26th issue of Nowy
Dziennik of New York].

Among other events is the reproduction of
Chopin's first public recital (as well as his last public
concert in Warsaw) prepared by Teatr Wielki in Warsaw. There will be a joint
concert by Bella Davidovich and Halina Czerny-Stefanska as well as concerts of Chopin's
music on restored instruments of Chopin's era (along with
concerts of chamber and symphonic music of composers of that
era). France also, is planning to present a month of recitals
dedicated to all of the works by Chopin to be presented by
pianists from all over the world, including: Luisada, Laforet,
Ohlsson, Czerny-Stefanska, Valdemosa. The Chopin Society of Paris will present a replica of
Chopin's funeral mass.

CHOPIN SYMPOSIUM IN GENEVA

Jean-Jacques Eigeldinger, the eminent Chopin scholar from Switzerland, has organized a symposium about the
music of one of Poland's greatest composers. It was held at the University of Geneva on 3-6 February 1999. The
participants
came from Switzerland, France, Poland, Great Britain, and the U.S.. The first session presented the research
for a new
edition of Chopin's music prepared by Peters Music Publishers and conducted by Zofia Chechlińska, Krzysztof
Grabowski, John Rink Jean
Jacques Egeldinger, and Jeffrey Kallberg. Jim Samson compared etudes by Chopin and Liszt, and David Winston and
Pierre Goy presented 19th
century instruments (by Hofmann, Pleyel, Erard). Dominique Merlet discussed the use of pedal in Chopin's music
and gave
master classes for the students in Geneva Conservatory of Music. Yves Gerard, Jean-Michel Nectoux and Irena
Poniatowska
focused on the reception of Chopin's music in France (Paris Conservtoire, Marcel Proust, Liszt's biography of
Chopin).

CHOPIN AMONG FRIENDS

Prof. Irena Poniatowska, active in the Chopin Academy of Poland, has edited four volumes in a series of
studies, conference proceedings and documents entitled, "Chopin w Kręgu Przyjaciół" (Chopin in the Circle of his
Friends). The first volume consists of two studies, Chopin-Liszt (by Poniatowska) and Chopin-Bellini (by Wojciech
Nowik); the second by Sophie Ruhlmann, focuses on the friendship of Chopin and Franchomme. The third part of the
series presents the proceedings
of a scholarly session entitled "Chopin-Schumann-Clara Wieck Schumann" that took place in December 1996.
This volume
is fully bi-lingual, with page-by-page juxtaposition of Polish and German versions of the same texts. The fourth
volume focuses on Chopin and Polish composers (Elsner, Dobrzyński, Lipiński) as well as Chopin's rubato (studies
by Jan Ekier, Piotr Kamiński, Krystyna Juszyńska and Piotr Rogowski).

The studies and documents are an important addition to Chopin literature in Poland; the volumes may be obtained
from the Polish Chopin Academy in Warsaw.

AMADEUS ORCHESTRA - HOMELESS?

The Polish media recently reported a scandal in Poznań. The world-class orchestra "Amadeus" directed
by Agnieszka Duczmal was given a short notice to vacate their offices and recording studio in the
building belonging to the State Treasury (they have been given till the end of March). This space will
be converted into offices
for the District Inspector of Commerce that administers this building and need to house more clerks because
of a recent
reform of the administration system. The recording studio
includes state of the art recording equipment and belongs to Radio Mercury. It would not be easy, and very costly,
to rebuild it elsewhere. This cost and inconvenience seem unimportant to bureaucrats because, so far, the requests
by Ms. Duczmal and
Mr. Piotr Frydryszek (president of the radio station) that the decision be changed or at least its realization
postponed, have fallen
on deaf ears. It seems that the current post-Solidarity government, busily reforming the territorial structure of
state administration
has forgotten about some of its most important treasures, which attract international attention to their country and
city. We wish Ms. Duczmal
good luck in her struggle for the survival of the orchestra.

POLISH EARLY MUSIC CATALOG BY PWM

Polish Music Publishers [PWM EDITION - www.pwm.com.pl] has issued a catalog of
early music, scores and books available from them. In the U.S., Canada, and Mexico, these materials may be
ordered from Theodore Presser. Contact sales@presser.com
The catalog is a valuable resource for musicians and scholars searching information about such compositions
as Ogiński's Polonaise
Farewell to the Homeland or Mikołaj Zieleński's monumental choral pieces. The listings are all bi-lingual,
in Polish and English. The medieval and renaissance choral repertoire includes lively Melodies for Polish
Psalter by Mikołaj Gomółka (16th c.) - 150 compositions for mixed choir, monumental
masses by Grzegorz Gerwazy Gorczycki, Marcin Leopolita, and Bartłomiej Pękiel, as well as motets by Wacław z
Szamotuł.

A large selection of vocal-instrumental works includes spectacular polychoral pieces by Mikołaj Zieleński, as
well as Baroque compositions by Pękiel, Gorczycki, Szarzyński. There are only two stage works in the catalog,
by Maciej Kamieński and Karol Kurpiński, but
the selection of instrumental pieces and chamber music is very impressive, with keyboard pieces by Kurpiński,
Szymanowska, violin
compositions by Karol Lipiński, Józef Elsner, and others.

EAST-WEST FESTIVAL IN POLAND

The VIII International "East-West" Music Festival took place
in March at Zielona Gora. During the 2-week meeting the
Philharmonic Symphony of Zielona-Gora, the "Resonans con
tutti" choir and soloists inaugurated the proceedings with
music of Mieczyslaw Karlowicz (Lithuanian Rhapsody), Wojciech
Kilar (Koscielec 1909) and Karol Szymanowski (Stabat Mater).
Other participants included cellist Ivan
Monighetti, Berlin Philharmonic, Lithuanian Chamber Orchestra
from Vilnius, Russian pianist Aleksi Bowinow, and singers from
Denmark and Sweden.

SKROWACZEWSKI IN SAN DIEGO

Stanisław Skrowaczewski astounded the audience in his recent
performance with the San Diego Symphony in a program that
included Chopin's Piano Concerto no. 1, with pianist Evelyn
Chen, Beethoven's Fifth Symphony, and a Rossini overture.

The headline "Skrowaczewski's wizardry enchants" by Valerie
Scher, music critic, in the San Diego Union-Tribune on March
1st, served to introduce an impressive and laudatory review
of the concert. She wrote, "Skrowaczewski demonstrated that
he is, in the best sense, a maestro of the old school, whose
meticulous approach recalls that of the Cleveland Orchestra's
George Szell. Let's hope the symphony invites Skrowaczewski
to conduct here again, and soon". Other phrases "Beethoven's
Fifth...exceptionally vibrant performance...his body language
was so expressive...unfailingly interesting to
watch...conducting from memory, without use of score
...musical ideas...often revelatory". A reception for the maestro was organized by Salon
Artystyczny, an affiliate of the American Council for Polish
Culture, at the Marriott Hotel in San Diego.

KOSCIUSZKO FOUNDATION BALL

The Kosciuszko Foundation Annual Ball pays tribute this year
to Poland's greatest composer. "Chopin at the Waldorf" will
be held on 24 April under the patronage of Maestro and Mrs.
Krzysztof Penderecki. The Honorary Committee includes Van
Clibrun, Marilyn Horne, Maestro Skrowaczewski, Abbey Simon,
Marta Istomin of the Manhattan School of Music, Prof. Andrzej
Chorosinski, rector of the Chopin Academy of Music in Warsaw
and Prof. Julian Gembalski, rector of the Szymanwoski Academy
of Music in Katowice. Ball Chairpersons June LeBell of WQXR-
FM and David Dubal of Juilliard have been working closely
with the foundation in their Chamber Music and Chopin
Anniversary Series. Mr. Dubal presented a
weekly series of Chopin recitals at the Kosciuszko Foundation
in New York.

WITH FIRE AND SWORD

Krzesimir Dębski composed the music to the latest film of
Jerzy Hoffman, "Ogniem i Mieczem" (With Fire and Sword) based on
an historical novel by Noble winning author Henryk
Sienkiewicz (he received this award for Quo Vadis). The CD of the music to this
film has already sold more than 120,000 copies in Poland.
The film is scheduled to be shown in Los Angeles on Poland's national holiday, the
anniversary of the May 3rd Constitution. The screening is sponsored by the Polish Consulate,
Polish American Congress, PolAm and others Polish-American organizations.

FIRE IN THE MOUNTAINS

On 23 March 1999 Dr. Timothy Cooley (Asst. Prof. of Ethnomusicology, University of California, Santa Barbara)
gave a lecture at USC School of Music on "Constructing Authenticity in the Polish Tatras." In the lecture
he illustrated with video excerpts and musical recordings, Dr. Cooley pointed out the role of Polish
intelligentsia in the creation
of current musical repertoire and performance styles of the górale of the Tatra Mountains.

There is an enormous
difference between songs and dances found in the mid-19th century collection by Oskar Kolberg (volumes 45 and 46 of
his works) and those
collected at the turn of the 20th century, and especially, by Stanisław Mierczyński in the 1920s. This difference,
Dr. Cooley explained, may be attributed to the formative influence of educated Poles who travelled to the mountains
and enjoyed their "tourist" experience which included listening to specially selected folk ensembles.

Dr. Cooley is the foremost American authority on górale music; a collection of archival recordings from
the Chicago area
(and from Poland) included his program notes. The CD entitled, "Fire in the Mountains" is available from
Yazoo.

CHOPIN AT THE EMBASSY

Juyeon Kang, last year's winner of the 5th Joseph Hofmann
Piano Competition held in South Carolina performed a recital
of music by Chopin, Hofmann, and Mozart at the Polish Embassy
in Washington, D.C.. She played on the Paderewski piano
housed at the Embassy. A graduate of the Eastman School of
Music, Ms. Kang is pursuing her Doctorate in Piano
Performance and Pedagogy of Music Theory.

THE PANUFNIKS IN LONDON

Lady Camilla Panufnik had an exhibition of her photographs of Andrzej
Panufnik at the Polish Cultural Institute in London, 12 Febuary - 7 March (it
had previously been seen abroad, including Warsaw). The composer's daughter, Roxanna Panufnik
will be featured on the program of BBC Singers at the Royal Festival Hall
in London on 24 April. Her Deus, Deus Meus will also be performed.

LUTOSLAWSKI PERFORMANCES IN THE UK

Lutoslawski's Symphony no.3 has been performed by the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra
conducted by Simon Rattle. The concerts took place at the Royal Festival Hall, London (6 March) and at the Symphony
Hall, Birningham (12 March). Symphony no.4 will be performed by the BBC National Orchestra of Wales, at Cardiff
on 24 June.

PRESS REVIEW

by Wanda Wilk

Roman Markowicz reports on the films shown at the Lincoln
Center Great Performers series recently. Although the
highlight of the festival was the 3-hour film, "Richter, the
Enigma" by Bruno Montsaingeona, several Polish pianists were
shown in videos of some sort (some without sound): Artur
Rubinstein (fragments of his 1964 Moscow All-Chopin recital),
Ignacy Friedman, Josef Hofmann (playing Rachmaninov's Prelude), Ignace Jan Paderewski, Mieczyslaw Horszowski
(recital in Japan) and Henryk Neuhaus (related to Szymanowski).

A full page article on the front of "Przegląd Polski" a
weekly supplement to the Nowy Dziennik is devoted to composer
Krzysztof Penderecki and his Violin Concerto "Metamorphoses"
which just won 2 Grammy awards. The articles is by Zbigniew Granat (in Polish).

NEW BOOKS:

Newest books in Polish from PWM (Polish Music
Publishers) include:

Bacewicz by Małgorzata Gasiorowska.

Tadeusz Baird by Izabela Grzenkowicz. The sub-title "Może
jestem za mało muzykiem" [Maybe I am not enough of a
musician] is rather a modest statement for such a great
composer.

Rozmowy z Wojciechem Kilarem (Conversations with...) by Krystyna Podobinska & Leszek Polony.
The subtitle quotes the composer as being happy with the gift
of life.

AWARDS:

Japanese cellist Danjulo Ishizaka, a student at the Hans
Eisler Hochschule in Berlin, won 1st Prize in the II
International Witold Lutosławski Cello Competition in Poland.
He also received a special prize for the best rendition of
Lutosławski's Grave. Ishizaka is a winner of several
international competitions, including the Tchaikovsky for
younger performers.

RECENT CONFERENCES

POLES AT THE MUSIC LIBRARY ASSOCIATION

Report by Barbara Zakrzewska-Nikiporczyk

The 68th Annual Meeting of the American Music Library Association took place on 17-20 March, 1999,
in Los Angeles. Almost 500 participants representing different kinds of music libraries from every state
met at the Biltmore Hotel. As usual, during the different sessions of particular
committees or subcommittee, there were many opportunity to discuss problems connected with library automation,
cataloging of music collections in the US MARC format, bibliographic control and instruction, electronic reference
services, different library systems , information sharing, legislation, preservation of the documents and
sheet music, statistics, subject access, technical services, and music librarianship in general.

This year three music librarians from Poland were invited for the conference. How did it happen?
The answer is simple - these three librarians are currently working in the U.S. as catalogers of music
collections:

Marlena Frackowski - ethnomusicologist graduated from the Institute of Musicology, Warsaw University, is
now employed in Westminster Choir College of Rider University.

Stanisław Hrabia - musicologist from Krakow, who received the Kosciuszko Foundation scholarship for the
cataloging of the music collections of the Polish Library, is working at the University of Pittsburgh.

Dr. Barbara Zakrzewska-Nikiporczyk - music librarian and composer from Poznan University Library, who
received the Kosciuszko Foundation fellowship for the cataloging of the collections of the Polish Music reference
Center, University of Southern California, Los Angeles.

It is not easy to find a position as a music cataloger in the U.S. - even for American candidates - so the
employment of these three professionals from Poland in this country is a great success. All three librarians
are involved in different research projects, giving papers at musicological and library conferences,
collaborating with international music centers in the field of music bibliography.
Marlena Frackowski has worked in the U.S. for over ten years; her field is research on music collections
(in 1989 she published the article "The Laura Boulton Collection" in the Resound Quarterly vol. VIII no 3),
electronic music databases (in 1998 she gave a paper at the MLA conference in Boston; the paper was
entitled "Musica International: A choral score database for everybody") and ethnomusicology as well
(in 1996, during the 40th annual meeting of the Society for Ethnomusicology she read her paper
"Ethnomusicology in Poland"). Ms. Frackowski has been engaged in the organizational work within MLA,
as a member of the Preservation Committee since 1997, and roundtable coordinator of discussions devoted
to World Music.

Stanisław Hrabia when still in Poland (at the Jagiellonian Library in Krakow) worked on electronic
databases created in the ISIS database, and later in the US MARC format within the VTLS library system.
Recently he paid special attention to the creation of the authority files in the field of music, which in
Poland are based on the French system of classification, Rameau. In 1997 he received a Kosciuszko Foundation
fellowship to catalog the music holdings of the Polish Alliance Collection at the University of Pittsburgh.
After the conclusion of the grant period, he remained at the library, continuing the project of cataloging rare
prints and other Polish material held in the collection.

Barbara Zakrzewska-Nikiporczyk (i.e. your reporter) had been representing Poland during several conferences of the
International Association of Music Libraries. Within the IAML she served as a member of the Bibliography Commission and
is collaborating with two international projects: RILM (Repertuar International de la Litterature
Musicale) and RIPM (Repertoir International de la Presse Musicale). She already prepared and published one volume
within the RIPM series - "Ruch Muzyczny 1857-1863." Her RIPM team received a grant from the Committee of Scholarly Research
(Komitet Badań Naukowych) to create bibliographies of Polish music periodicals from the 19th century. The project
will start in the summer of 1999.

SONNECK SOCIETY FOR AMERICAN MUSIC

Report by Maria Anna Harley

The 1999 Meeting of the Sonneck Society for American Music took place on 11-14 March 1999 in Fort Worth,
Texas. The Society was formerly known as the "Sonneck Society" to honor Oscar Sonneck from the Library of
Congress whose unflinching devotion to American music provided an inspiration to the Society's
founders. The name change took place during this Meeting. Why should we mention this event here? Because the
program included a session on "Polish Immigrants" consisting of two papers, by Dr.Linda Schubert and yours
truly, Maria Anna Harley. Dr. Schubert presented an expanded version of her paper originally prepared
for the International Conference "Polish/Jewish/Music!" held at USC in November 1998. Entitled, "Dolphins,
Cowboys and Mutants in the Basement: The Film Scores of Henry Vars," the paper presented the contributions
of Poland's beloved film-music composer to the American movie industry. Dr. Schubert's research was greatly
aided by Ms. Elizabeth Vars, the late composer's widow who gave her access to scores and documents
previously not available to the public.

Dr. Schubert noted the great popularity
of Vars in Poland and his role in bringing influences from American jazz to Polish popular music in the 1920s
and 1930s. The second phase in his film scoring career, when he was one of the orchestrators and composers of
the Hollywood
film and TV industry, is marked by such popular series as "Flipper" (children's movie and TV series about
a friendly dolphin) that continues to be broadcasted internationally. It is my great joy to see this work done
by an American scholar, with no personal links to
Poland, but with a great knowledge of film music and its history.

My presentation, entitled "Poles without the Polka: Cultural Identity of Polish Composers Emigrating to the
U.S. during and after World War II," surveyed the tensions between the various groups of relatively recent
immigrants from Poland and their attitudes towards the Polish-American culture created by those arriving
earlier, especially at the turn of the century. This New World culture includes an appropriation of the
Bohemian "polka" as the main Polish-American dance, and the creation of a mythical, ethnically, culturally
and religiously uniform "Old Polish Nation" (purely Polish and Roman-Catholic). "Poles without the Polka"
of the title consist of two distinct groups of immigrants: (1) refuges of Polish-Jewish background who survived
the war or permanently settled in the U.S. (Tansman, Kaper, Ryterband, Rathaus, Vars) and who were often distant
from the Polish-American community (except for Vars and Ryterband), (2) trained professionals leaving the Polish
People's Republic in search of better working opportunities (Ptaszynska, jazz musicians - Dudziak,
Oleszkiewicz, Makowicz, Urbaniak).

The second group seems closer to their professional peers than to Poles in
Polish-American communities, though they are enthusiastically welcomed by the latter. Ptaszynska and
Dudziak pursued projects relating directly to Polish-American culture (settings of Polish anthems and
patriotic works of the former, Polish Christmas carols concert tours of the latter). The thesis about the
absence of "polka" from the culture of recently arriving Poles was supported with an opinion survey conducted
among the Helena Modjeska Polish Culture Club of Los Angeles, grouping professionals of double citizenship
(Polish and American) and strong attachment to Polish culture. I concluded that the dislike of the polka
expressed by members of the club may be due to class consciousness of Poles arriving in recent years
(i.e. attachment to "high art" culture of the gentry rather than
"low art" of the peasants and urban folk who created the polka tradition). Both papers were very well
received and will lead to further research projects bringing the Polish
immigrant experience into the spotlight of American music studies.

MUSIC AND POSTMODERNISM AT STONY BROOK

The conference entitled "Postmodernism and Music" was sponsored by
the Greater New York Chapter of AMS and the Department of Music at SUNY
Stony Brook. It was held on 6-7 March, 1999, and consisted of scholarly
papers on topics ranging from the soundtrack of Oliver Stone's Natural
Born Killers to the implications of intertextual analysis of etudes by
Lutoslawski and Chopin (that paper was given by Michael Klein, a former Wilk Prize Winner
and a professor of music theory). There were also
panel discussions, performances, and a keynote lecture by Jonathan Kramer, one
of the leading proponents of postmodern ideas in musicology.
Papers from the conference will be published in a book of collected essays
on musical postmodernism by Garland in their new series on "Music and the 20th Century."

During this conference, Luke B. Howard (Australian expert on Górecki, active in the U.S.)
presented a paper on "Production vs. Reception in Postmodernism: A Case Study of Górecki's
Influence in British Commercial Pop Music." In this text he discussed a phenomenon
created by the immense popularity of Henryk Górecki's Third Symphony in 1993, i.e.
its proliferation by British pop musicians--including Test Department, William Orbit, Goldie, Pale Saints,
and Lamb--who have quoted or directly referenced Gorecki's music. The paper surveyed the numerous musical
borrowings in both the Symphony and related pop songs, and the relationship of this phenomenon to his notion of
"the postmodern."

RECENT PERFORMANCES:

19 Feb: A concert - Without Chains - was given in St. John's, Smith Square
(in London) on 19 February by Ann Martin-Davis (piano), Susan Legg (mezzo-soprano
and piano), Duncan Prescott (clarinet) and Melanie Ragge (oboe), mainly
of Lutosławski, to follow up their recent and highly successful CD of
Lutoslawski chamber music (inc. the complete piano music) on ASV CD DCA
1046 (notes by Adrian Thomas). The concert included: Paganini Variations,
Five Songs, Two Studies, Bukoliki, Dance Preludes, and Epitaph. Also
performed were two works by Roxanna Panufnik, the late composer's talented
daughter: A Wind at Rooks Haven (for
clarinet and mezzo soprano) (London premiere) and Disastrously Beautiful (for piano).
Ragge and Martin-Davis commissioned and gave the
world premiere of Maciej Zieliński's Lutosławski: In Memoriam (for oboe and
piano.).

7 Mar: The 32nd Annual Chopin Concert sponsored by the Polish
Heritage Society of Philadelphia was held on 7 March
featuring pianist Jacek Zganiacz.

14 Mar: Wendy Chen performed music by Bach/Busoni, Chopin,
Janacek and Rachmaninoff in the Colburn School of the
Performing Arts in downtown Los Angeles.

Also including Chopin's music in their performances in the
L.A. area were: Mario Feninger (28 March) at the Westwood
United Methodist Church; Norman Krieger (28 March) at USC's
Newman Recital Hall and Cellist Margaret Moores and pianist
Andrew Harley (7 March) at the Westwood United Methodist
Church.

17 Mar: On the anniversary of Chopin's first public
recital in 1830 a re-enactment of the program was performed
by Polish pianists Krzysztof Jabłoński and Janusz Olejniczak.
The program included the Piano Concerto in F minor, Fantasia
on Polish Themes for piano and orchestra and the Overture to
the opera, "Leszek Bialy" by Chopin's teacher Józef Elsner.
On this anniversary program Jacek Kasprzyk also conducted the
Choir and orchestra of the Teatr Wielki National Opera in
Szymanowski's Third symphony, "Song of the Night."

17 Mar: Russian pianist Katia Skanavi performed the music of Chopin,
Bach, Carl Vine & Handel at Whittier College. She was a finalist in the 1997 Van Cliburn Int'l
Competition. Daniel Cariaga wrote a favorable review in the
LA Times.

24 Mar: Cardiff University Contemporary Music Group, Wales, UK follow(ed) up
their monographic Górecki concert of Spring 1997 with a programme on 24
Mar 1999 including three works by Lutosławski: Mini-Overture, Chain I
and Slides.

27 Mar: The Long Beach Symphony led by Joann Falletta included
"Dance" by Polish-Jewish composer, Karol Rathaus (1895-1954). Rathaus survived the war in New York where he taught
composition at CUNY, Queens College. PMRC presented a special session
devoted to Rathaus's music at the International Conference "Polish/Jewish/Music!" held
at USC on 15-16 November 1998).

REPORT FROM PADEREWSKI FESTIVAL

by Maria Anna Harley

The Seventh Annual Paderewski Festival in Paso Robles, California (the U.S. home of the Polish pianist, composer,
prime minister and vintner) took place on 19-21 March 1999. The Festival's organizers, Ms. Virginia Paterson
and Ms. Carolyn
Goodrich, both highly dedicated volunteers (who also work for the Paso Robles Arts and Culture Foundation),
prepared a rich and varied program that included concerts, tours of historic monuments connected to Paderewski,
and
a youth piano competition. The two evening concerts were offered by the PODHALE Polish Folk Dance Company led
by John Sobanski, Polish-American
dancer and choreographer (Friday, 19 March) and by Polish pianist, Karol Radziwonowicz who travelled to Paso
Robles
especially for this occasion.

I mentioned the Polish Folk Dance Company Podhale in the previous Newsletter. Actually, it was the
group's second
appearance at the Festival. The full-evening program of the senior
and junior groups presented suites of songs and dances from various areas of Poland, focusing on what the
program book called Poland's "five national dances" including: polonaise, kujawiak, oberek, mazur, and
krakowiak. While the ethnographic accuracy
of this statement leaves room for discussion (what is a national dance, anyway?) the colorful costumes, great
stage appearance and professional quality of
the spectacle thoroughly delighted the audience. John Sobanski was the choreographer of four of these sets
of folkloric dances
(named not after individual dance types but after the cities, villages and regions from which they originated).
Four other sets were based on the choreography by Witold Zapała who spent 40 years working for the Polish
Folk Dance Company
Mazowsze and who recently trained the Podhale group in some elements of the Mazowsze
repertoire. It is
interesting to note the strong connection between Podhale and its model and source of choreography
and music,
Mazowsze. John Sobanski considers performing and travelling with Mazowsze a highlight of his
professional
training (as described in the Festival program).
<>

I should remind our readers here that this group,
created by Mira Zimińska-Sygietyńska and Tadeusz Sygietyński, began its stage career in 1950 at the
height of the
Stalinist regime in Poland as the "emblematic" folk music and dance
ensemble of the Polish People's Republic. The "artistically arranged" folk songs and dances were
transformed
into
elaborate stage settings, and the melodic and harmonic irregularities of the original music replaced by
grandiose,
yet conventional arrangements for symphony orchestra and large mixed choir. Thus, the new "socialist"
government was elevating the humble folklore
to the level of national art, placing "peasant songs" on a par with classical symphonies, operas or
ballets.
A note on an old LP of "State Folk Ensemble of Song and Dance - Mazowsze" explains: "the songs of 'Mazowsze'
have nothing in common with the museum-quality
and beauty of the authentic folk song: only the words and the general outlines of the melodies remain [from
the originals]".

Despite its distance from the "true folk" (or perhaps because of it) the international fame and popularity
of Mazowsze contributed to the promotion of Polish culture abroad and guaranteed
the ensemble's well-being. Mazowsze survived the fall of the "socialist" government in Poland and
continued
to perpetuate its brand of musical folklorism in a new, global marketplace. New recordings feature religious
chants
instead of mass songs, and performances are still sold out. I attended one in 1995 in Warsaw and was thoroughly
impressed
with the professional preparation and liveliness of the spectacle. The Californian Podhale has wonderful
dancers and may, one day, became an American Mazowsze.
What it lacks at the moment is its own group of musicians and singers, and this absence is the most noticeable
in live performance supported
with poor-quality recordings played too loud from mediocre sound systems. There is nothing as good as
live music and we hope that this excellent ensemble finds suitable collaborators
for high-profile events, such as the Paderewski Festival.

Nonetheless, audiences at Paso Robles had ample opportunity to hear live music, composed by Paderewski
himself during the next
concert. Mr. Radziwonowicz performed a solo recital consisting of the music of Ignacy Jan Paderewski
in the first half of the program
and of Fryderyk Chopin (the closing segment). This choice highlighted both the Paderewski theme of
the festival and the
celebrations of the Chopin Year (150th anniversary of his death).

Ignacy Jan Paderewski

I talked to Mr. Radziwonowicz about this program
before the concert and he explained that he considered programming
Paderewski's monumental Sonata op.21 and Variations op.23, that he considers the virtuoso pianist-composer's
greatest works, but he decided not to include them in the recital, as, perhaps, too complicated. Paderewski
himself, after
composing the Sonata wrote to a friend: "I have just finished my best piece. Unfortunately it will not be very
popular because
it is filled with difficulties!". Mr. Radziwonowicz compared this Sonata with the best works of Brahms, but
for the program
selected a rich variety of shorter pieces, presenting the full range of Paderewski's piano repertoire. The
program included
Legendeop.16 no.5, 5 Songs of the Wayfarer op.8, the beloved Minuet and Krakowiak
, both from op. 14 no.1, 6
(Humoreski Koncertowe), followed by Barcarolle and Waltz-Capriccio from op.10 (no. 5, 6)
and to conclude, 2 Mazurkas
from op.9 (no.2, 4) and a Polonaise from the same set (no.6). The Chopin part of the program consisted of
Ballade in F minor op.2, Nocturne in B major op.62, no.1, 4 Mazurkas op.30,
Impromptu in C-sharp minor op.66, and AndanteSpianato & Grand Polonaise in E flat
major op.22. This rich program was wonderfully performed and enthusiastically received
by the rapt audience who demanded three encores from the Polish pianist.

Radziwonowicz's connections to the music of both Paderewski and Chopin are rich and varied. He is the
president of the Paderewski Society in Poland and the only artist in the world who recorded complete works
by Paderewski.

When asked about his interest in the
music of the Polish virtuoso, Radziwonowicz replied:

"Paderewski's music is very difficult to play, it is extremely virtuosic.
There is, of course, the problem with his reception due to the fact that too many weak performers tackle
his music, one
should only mention the generations of children struggling with the Minuet. Incidentally, this
enormously
popular piece is among Paderewski's weakest composition and its very popularity hampers the reputation of
the composer.
One could see what a great virtuoso Paderewski was only when one plays his music - it is under the fingers,
so to speak,
that the beauty, difficulty, and complexity of his music may be discovered. But this demands lots of practice
time and hard
work - only when the greatest musicians play this music may the audience be delighted with the results and
truly
discover this music. As Paderewski himself was fond of saying: 'Who wants to play as a master has to practice
like a
student and who practices like a master will end up playing like a student.'
Performing Paderewski means long hours at the piano."

In response to my question about the Chopin Year, Mr. Radziwonowicz pointed out his recent, and completely
unique recording
of Chopin's works for piano and orchestra, in a version for piano and string quintet. This recording project,
consisting now
of 3 CDs presenting the orchestral parts transcribed for the quintet by Tomasz Radziwonowicz (the pianist's
brother) and performed by I Solisti
di Varsavia, was inspired by a remark of Jan Weber (the late, greatly revered music critic) that Chopin
performed with an orchestra
two times during his lifetime and the majority of the performances were in a chamber setting (with quintets,
mixed sextets, septets
and so forth). In addition, during our short conversation I was able to find out that Mr. Radziwonowicz is
a very talented photographer, and that
his works in this adorn the covers of his CDs and serve as material for the work of his wife, artist Ewa
Gierach-Radziwonowicz.
The Paderewski Festival's appearance of Mr. Radziwonowicz was a great artistic success and we hope that such
high quality
of artists will continue to enrich this worthwhile event. My joy was marred by only one worry: Mr. Radziwonowicz
had to cancel
his planned appearances in Los Angeles and San Diego, including a lecture in our own The Heritage of
Chopin series and
return to Poland sooner than it was originally expected. We will be delighted to have him with us during
another North
American tour and the sooner the better. However, it seems that Mr. Radziwonowicz's calendar is filling up very quickly,
with upcoming
performances in Poland, Canada, Columbia, Japan, and France.

Finally, to conclude this report, I should state that Paderewski lovers now have a chance of hearing the
great virtuoso
himself. New recordings are transcribed from pianola rolls and issued by Genesis Recordings; one volume of
the series dedicated to historical recordings of the legends of piano performance features Paderewski. One does not need to
remind anyone
of the central position occupied by Paderewski in this pantheon of great pianists. Let me end with many thanks to Ms. Carolyn
Goodrich and Victoria Peterson
for organizing this wonderful event that made the celebration of Paderewski possible. Their efforts present
in the best light
the cultural heritage of their charming town.

APR 17: Ewa Podleś, contralto with Garrick Ohlsson, piano.
Lydia Mendelssohn Theatre, U. of Michigan at Ann Arbor. Part
of The Polish Roundtable: Ten Years Later International Conference
organized by the Center for Russian and Eastern European Studies in collaboration
with the Copernicus Foundation at the University of Michigan.

FRIENDS OF POLISH MUSIC:

Report by the President, Wanda Wilk

The Friends of Polish Music are happy to welcome their first
dues-paying "international" member: Alina Baird, director of
the ZKP (Polish Composers' Union) for many years. She is also the
widow of the great Polish composer, Tadeusz Baird (1928-
1981), who with his colleague Kazimierz Serocki, initiated the
"Warsaw Autumn" International Contemporary Music Festival in
1956. Mrs. Baird elected to become a patron member. In light of
her position and stature in the world of music in Poland, I
view this gesture as an important acknowledgement of a job
well-done to the FPM. She had previously donated (in 1988)
two manuscripts of her late husband: "Cassazione per
orchestra" and "Variations without a theme." We are indeed
indebted to Mrs. Baird for her generosity and
support.

In response to our recent notice announcing the "Heritage of
Chopin" Series at the USC School of Music, we received many
renewal membership dues along with a few "new" members. We would like to welcome the following:

Additional donations were received for the Michal Wesolowski
recital of 20 Feb by those who couldn't be there from Regina
Kobzi, Helena Kolodziey, Ewa Kazmierczak, and Dr. & Mrs.
Michal Zawadzki.

If you have not renewed your 1999 membership
as yet, please do so at this time. We will also greatly
welcome any new members. Your support is very important to
us and we need your support in this very worthwhile project.
Finally, you may visit the Friends of Polish Music site:
../ourfriends/friends.html

DISCOGRAPHY:

A new super star: The Pope's CD released by Sony

Abba Pater is the first music recording to feature the voice of Pope John Paul
II, and was released by the Sony Corporation in time for Holy Week. It consists of eleven messages
delivered by the Pope in various countries and in various languages throughout the
world since 1980, with music composed by Leonardo De Amicis and Stefano Mainetti, and performed
by two orchestras and three different choirs.

The program notes state that Abba Pater proposes a pilgrimage that is universal...led
by the Pope himself, one that is open to all people through a variety of expressions,
languages, voices, and sounds....by the "Pilgrim" Pope, who extends his invitation to
all humanity, and who embraces all humanity, on the threshold of the Third Millenium."
(Fr. Pasquale Borgomeo, Sj, General Director, Vatican Radio).

The Catholic church in Poland has inspired centuries of profound works by her greatest composers. The Pope himself
stimulated countless musical compositions, either composed for him, or dedicated to him afterwards (e.g. Henryk
Gorecki's Beatus Vir). Mark Swed pointed out this fact in the March 31 Los Angeles Times (Calendar
Section) while discussing the positive role of Easter and Christianity as an inspiration for countless talented
composers. However, he greeted the new CD without much excitement. Swed made the following comment about
Abba Pater:

"Rather than expect art to make the pope's message meaningful, Vatican Radio, which produced the CD, has
appearently decided that the way to get the pope's words into the most houses is to use a commercial-sounding
background, however much it may, in parts, resemble the typical soundtrack of a Euro-trashy romp
on the Riviera."

CHOPIN RECORDINGS

There are numerous new releases of Chopin's music.
Two recordings of all the Etudes by Chopin have just been
released and reviewed in the American Record Guide and in Fanfare:

ARABESQUE 6718. Etudes, all. Garrick Ohlsson, piano. Vol.
10 of this pianist's Complete Works of Chopin. Allen
Linkowski (ARG) concludes his review with "I still find much
to admire in Ohlsson's magnificent achievement."

LIVE CLASSICS Live 382. Etudes, all. Elisso Virssaladze,
(Wirssaladze). piano. [ed. note: the spelling of her last
name differs in the sources]. This recording by the Georgian pianist in a live 1985 Moscow
recital is reviewed by Harold C. Schonberg in the American Record Guide and also in
Fanfare by Michael Ullman, who compares both Ohlsson and
Virssaladze). Again, all the critics prefer Ohlsson's to the
Russian pianist, whose Schumann playing is legendary and who
was described by Richter as "the greatest Schumann player of
the present day." Although they acknowledge her technique,
they prefer other recordings of Chopin.

DOREMI 7724. Chopin: Scherzos, Polonaise-Fantasy,
Barcarolle, Waltzes, Mazurkas. Sviatoslav Richter, piano.
This recording is a compilation of several performances
(Warsaw, 1954; Carnegie Hall, 1965; Mazurkas, Helsinki 1976;
Barcarolle and Waltzes, Salzburg, 1977. Because Richter was
always nervous in New York, this is not the best that is
available of Richter's playing. Alexander Morin (ARG)
believes that it "is a skippable disc except for Richter
fanatics."
Peter J. Rabinowitz of Fanfare appears to like it somewhat
more than Morin and though bringing out its flaws, he
concludes that this is a major addition to the Richter
discography.

SELENE 9301.7-8 (2 CDs). Chopin. The Complete Nocturnes.
Jerzy Sterczynski, piano.
This was recorded in 1989 by the new Polish label Selene.
The artist is a professor at the Chopin Academy of Music in
Warsaw. Michael Ullman (Fanfare) calls him a "deliberately
Romantic player" and does not place "his Nocturnes in the top
rank."

MUSIC & ARTS CD-1029 (2 CDs). Chopin. Piano Music. Guiomar
Novaes, piano.
This is a reissue of a Town Hall live performance from 26
November, 1949 and a rather sloppy one according to Peter J.
Rabinowitz, who found several things wrong it.

OTHER RECORDINGS

NAXOS 553779. Lutoslawski: Concerto for orchestra; 3 Poems;
Mi-parti; Overture. Polish Radio Symphony, Antoni Wit, cond.
Two reviews of this recording come up with
"two thumbs up." Yes, very enthusiastic reviews by Raymond
Tuttle (Fanfare) and Mark Lehman (ARG). "Stunning
music...stunningly performed and (almost) stunningly
recorded. Five whole pages of intelligent annotation by
Andrzej Chłopecki....disc is packed with worthy
music...exciting, confident, idiomatic performances recorded
in clear, high-impact, natural sound...
This is the continuing Naxos Lutoslawski series (all with
Antoni Wit and same orchestra) that has won acclaim from
Arved Ashby, David Raymond, David Moore and now Tuttle, and
Lehman. And all at "Naxos's super-bargain price".

MARSTON 52014 (2 CDs).
Volume six of The Complete Josef Hofmann is among the most
interesting of the series. Alexander Morin (ARG) concludes
"an extraordinary artist at the height of his powers."
From a recital (April 1938) at the Curtis Institute of Music,
which includes four Chopin pieces, Beethoven, and
Schumann.

ELF 1002. Wind Songs. Waters, Schubert, Orff. Peggy
Balensuela, mezz, Indiana State Festival Chorus & Faculty
Winds.
This recording is of interest because Richard Zielinski (a
Wilk Prize winner for his research on Szymanowski's "Stabat
Mater") is mentioned in the review by Michael Carter for
preparing the large ISU Festival Chorus so well. The choral
performance is "musically responsive and dramatically
effective in Visions of War by James Waters.

PENDERECKI RECORDINGS

Penderecki's latest compositions, the Violin Concerto and
Credo were both reviewed in the March/April issue of Fanfare:

HANSSLER CD. Penderecki. Credo. Helmuth Rilling, cond.
Oregon Bach Festival. Reviewed by Raymond Tuttle, who admits
growing up under the influence of Penderecki's avant-garde
scores. Thus, he does not see it as very "forward-looking."
However, "I expect that my appreciation for this work and
this CD will only increase with time. For now, I am more
than a little bemused by Penderecki's Credo."

INTERVIEW WITH JANINA FIAŁKOWSKA

(Maria Anna Harley; 21 November 1998, Evanston, Il.)

Harley:
I am so glad to be able to talk to you here, during the Polish Music Festival at Northwestern
University in Evanston during which you are a featured artist. Would you like to share some impressions
of the festival with me?

Fiałkowska:
This festival is very exciting for me, first of all because I get to go to concerts which I rarely
get to go to. I always have to go to my concerts, which is so boring, but to hear all this music...
I've been to two concerts already and it's just thrilling. I haven't heard anything that I haven't liked,
and some things I like more than others. For example, to hear Szymanowski's Harnasie was a special treat.
I mean you never get to hear it live. I have only heard it on recordings.

Harley:
I have heard it twice in live performance, but I was living in Poland at the time, and every couple
of years you could witness another version of this ballet. I saw it staged, and I heard it in the concert
hall. It was very good.

Fiałkowska:
To hear Harnasie was great fun, but I thoroughly enjoyed the violin recital, especially the
Paderewski's Sonata, and the Lutosławski work for violin and piano, Recitativo e Arioso. In
fact, the latter one was my favorite - that amusing, little piece.

Harley:
It is a little piece, but Andrzej Grabiec played it so well; we did not just get the notes but also
his whimsical interpretation. The music sounded capricious, witty. It is hard to describe the
performance, but I loved every second of it. However, the whole festival began with your Chopin
recital - locating Chopin at the heart of Polish music, and you as the paradigmatic Chopin performer. I also
know that you just released a CD of Chopin's Etudes op.24. These two facts motivate my question: what's
your approach to Chopin? Do you belong to the so-called "Polish School of Chopin Performance," to any other
school, or are you just on your own?

Fiałkowska:
Well, I will tell you. I think that I have been extrodinarily fortunate in my upbringing - my musical
upbringing - because I started off in the [Alfred] Cortot School; who was one of the greatest Chopin
performers. My mother and my first two teachers were all sort of descendents of Cortot; either they
had studied with him, or studied with pupils of him. From Cortot I went to the Russian School, and I
studied with a musical descendant of Joseph Lhevinne, Anton Rubinstein (great Chopin players) this
was Sascha Gorodnitzki at Juilliard. Finally, I ended up with Arthur Rubinstein who probably was the
greatest Chopin pianist - for me - of all time, and I was fortunate enough to be his protégé for the
last eight years of his life. So I had a chance to discuss the music and to hear him play Chopin in the
house, and then get all his remarks about my Chopin.

Plus the fact that, the biggest and most important
(sort of the first) experience in my musical life was hearing Arthur Rubinstein playing the Chopin Concerto
in E minor - I was twelve then, I heard the music at a concert in Montreal. This was my epiphany.
This was when I first realized three main things: one, what a pianist can do; two, what music can do;
and three, what Chopin can do. So Chopin has always been the most important composer for me, and it
just so happens that I am of a Polish heritage - that somewhat helps, too. I should clarify what
I said. I do think that this heritage helps me to play Chopin only in that: we Poles, concentrate,
and - that awful, overused word - we focus so much on Chopin as part of our national heritage.
Perhaps it doesn't give us a better insight, but because he is so much a part of our life - we live
with him so much, we live with his rhythm so much - I think that, maybe, this focus gives us a
slight edge.

Harley:
I see.

Fiałkowska:
I'll never say that just because your Polish you'll play Chopin better than anyone else. I say that
initially you'll have a little bit of an edge because you'll already know the rhythms on which he based
his music so strongly; the feeling that one so much identifies with - if one is born in Polonia for
example - the feeling that it gives you. Also, everywhere I go I play so much Chopin now. It's because
of my name that I'm asked to do it a lot. And often non-Poles or journalists in interviews say, "Well, because
your Polish, that's why you play Chopin." Well - you know - if I said yes, then my answer would imply that I
couldn't play Mozart or Debussy, so I don't. I'm just saying that I feel this special kinship because from
very early times I have thought about Chopin.

If you work as hard as I do and you think about it - next
year is 150 years since his death and every recital I play, every single recital, is either all Chopin
or fifty percent Chopin, at least that's what I'm asked to do - you can imagine how deeply I'm getting
into this man's psyche. Unless, of course, I'm a total idiot and can't comprehend what I do. This is
the most exciting thing. I have been on the road for - how long now?, nearly thirty years?, no,
twenty-five - and there's so much complexity, and so much subtlety to his music that I can still see
forty years from now finding new treasures in his music. But the closer I get to understanding the
music, the closer I get to understanding the man, and I love this man. This is a complete passion
for me. Of course I've read all about him. Again, you don't have to know about him, but it helps.
Frankly I think he's a totally remarkable human being to have survived such illness...

Harley:
...and create...

Fiałkowska:
...and create, and just survive the strange life that he had with such integrity, and keeping his own
persona all the way through. Anyway, I love Chopin; what can I say, I really do.

Harley:
Great! Besides Chopin, you also like Szymanowski, am I right?

Fiałkowska:
Szymanowski is a different ball game. I came to Szymanowski only because of Arthur Rubinstein.
At that time, I didn't know anything about Szymanowski - I just knew the name. Arthur Rubinstein
was Szymanowski's best friend, he and Kochański, and they were kind of a terrible trio.

Harley:
I've seen pictures of them together, those three.

Fiałkowska:
Yes, and Rubinstein first of all got me to play Szymanowski's Symphonie Concertante [The Fourth Symphony]
which is very accessible and not too difficult because Szymanowski wrote it for himself to play, as you know.

Harley:
Right.

Fiałkowska:
Also, it's from his later period so it's basically folk oriented and has beautiful melodies.
I enjoyed playing it. But when I started playing it with an orchestra I realized how difficult
it is to put together and pull off a satisfying performance. The first time I played it was in
1978. I have played it with two London orchestras, I have played it with Cleveland, I have played
it in Montreal, but I never, ever, ever got what I though was the ultimate performance of it. I
never thought that I could convince the audience, until last year.

Harley:
Oh really, where was that?

Fiałkowska:
I played it with - guess who - Stanisław Skrowaczewski in Minneapolis, and it just
suddenly...well, because the conductor understood the music, and he cared terribly about
the music, and the orchestra of course is top notch...and it worked! And it worked so
well. Here I was with Skrowaczewski discussing the music and getting all excited because we
knew we had something special. But then we were saying: "the cadenza, the cadenza, you know
its just slightly weak, this cadenza." So I turned to Skrowaczewski - who is a great composer
himself - and I said, "could you do something about it?"

Harley:
And he rewrote the cadenza for you?

Fiałkowska:
He didn't re-write it. He used what was there, and added a lyrical part, which he took from
Szymanowski. Well, it makes all the difference, and now I can't wait to play it again.

Harley:
When is this version going to be recorded?

Fiałkowska:
I don't know...I hope...wouldn't that be nice.

Harley:
I know that you have a solo CD out?

Fiałkowska:
...of Szymanowski, yes.

Harley:
What do you like about his music? You said that you liked some pieces and not others.

Fiałkowska:
Everything that I recorded I like very much. I find its just that he's, well... For example I just
recently played in Germany the op. 10, Theme and Variations, and it's just that it's too difficult.
../ourfriends/friends.html also, it's just too difficult. The more you know the music, the more you love the music, but
I think it's too hard for an audience - unless they know it - and I think that it took years off my life
getting ready to perform the pieces. I've been working on them for five, six years - actually, I learned
them for the "Szymanowski Year" in London in 1990. I learned three recitals worth of Szymanowski music,
and I played them all in London. Even though I've worked on the Opus 10, for example, for six years,
I'm never going to completely get it because it's so complicated... The Masques are hard as well...I mean
they are not only difficult technically, but emotionally.

And maybe I'm crazy, but I find them most
neurotic, most upsetting - even the Theme and Variations op. 10, which doesn't sound upsetting or seem
to give you a reason for it, even that I find upsetting after a while. I get completely...see, I'm
getting nervous just thinking about it. And this is wonderful. I think music should have this kind
of impact, but you know I have to take it in doses, because I feel in this music, unbelievable pain.
This man was not a happy man; he was a mightily disturbed man. This is what I feel.

Harley:
He was in his early days, but later on he must have reconciled something in his life because his music
doesn't sound as painful in his latter pieces.

Fiałkowska:
Yes, that's what I think. Yes, but please... In Germany I played Metopes, and I played Theme and
Variations. . . It's still ... it's so traumatic! However, I'm playing Metopes next
year in London (again!) with the two Lutosławski Etudes which are so wonderful, effective, brilliant.
What a clever man Lutosławski is! I don't think there is any neurosis in that at all. I mean his music
is just a jewel. I'm planning to record his etudes. This is my next recording project.

Harley:
Only the Lutosławski? That's a rather smallish CD...What else does this project include?

Fiałkowska:
Well, because I did the twenty-four Chopin Etudes, I figured that I still had the remaining etudes of
Chopin to do. I should have actually put them on the initial CD, but I didn't. Then, I will have the
fifteen Moszkowski "Etudes". I'm afraid I'm a big champion of Moszkowski; I recorded his "Concerto".

Harley:
I am afraid that I don't know this piece at all.

Fiałkowska:
Oh, that's too bad! What a fantastic work; this is a fantastic piece. On the same recording I have
Chopin's Andante Spianato & Grande Polonaise and I also play a piece by Peter Paul Koprowski - he is a
Polish Canadian, just like me - his Sovenir de Pologne for Piano and Orchestra is a very good piece. In
my new project I would have the fifteen Moszkowski's Etudes, of which by today I actually only played one
or two, so it's a lot of work. Then I have the op.33 by Szymanowski, then the Lutosławski that I just
mentioned. I want to have a collection of all Polish etudes after Chopin, all the etudes, that I like, in
any case.

Harley:
Perhaps you should add etudes by Maria Szymanowska, Grażyna Bacewicz and Paweł Szymański, to mention
just three names absent on your list.

Fiałkowska:
I do not know these pieces. Tell me more about them.

Harley:
Maria Szymanowska is now becoming well-known in the West, primarily in the "woman-composer"
circles. In Polish musicology she has usually been described as an important forerunner of
Chopin. She was a world-famous virtuosa, the court Pianist of the Tsarina, and the author of
a collection of etudes or preludes that foreshadow those by Chopin. She also wrote nocturnes,
mazurkas, polonaises, songs and chamber music, but the etudes, published as Vingt Excercizi in
1820, seem to be the most interesting part of her output.

Fiałkowska:
Maria Szymanowska...that's very interesting. I would like to see the music. I think I should add
it to my collection. It will be great! There is a music critic in Toronto, she is an incredible
feminist (and this is not a bad thing!) so she will be happy to hear about that. She is so positive
about women composers and artists. I'm glad to hear about it as well.

Harley:
I will be happy to send you copies of what I have of the early editions. In Poland,
PWM issued Szymanowska's Album for Piano including a selection of the etudes and you
should also get that. I am so pleased with your interest. You know, I am a feminist myself
and I make a point of mentioning Szymanowska, Bacewicz and people like that whenever possible. I
think that women composers do need the help, somehow, from feminists.

At one time Bacewicz's
importance in Poland was completely overshadowed by that of her male colleagues; it was only thanks
to her sister Wanda who is a poet and a guardian of Grazyna's memory, and who really worked very hard
for years, that knowledge about Grazyna's music has gradually been disseminated. Right now she is
becoming a big name: her double anniversary in 1999 will be celebrated by the PWM (her only publisher;
being a woman, she was not offered a contract from the West, like her male colleagues), and the Polish Radio.
This happens gradually, it takes time.

Fiałkowska:
I have to say, even after hearing just a few things, that of all the contemporary composers she's just
up there with the best for me. I like her music and I definitely don't want to promote someone, just
because.

Harley:
Exactly.

Fiałkowska:
I want to promote them because I think they are wonderful - otherwise I won't play well, that's the problem.
Sometimes I'm forced to learn a piece by someone in the second half of the 20th. century (I will not mention
any names), and it will always come up if I don't like it. At least I have been in a position for the last few
years that I can say, "No, I won't do it", but to hear that Bacewicz wrote Etudes for Piano is really exciting.
Let me think though, you told me about Maria Szymanowska, Bacewicz, and Paweł...who?

Harley:
Paweł Szymański, born in 1954. His music is often described in terms of a Polish version of "post-modernism"
though he prefers the term "sur-conventionalism" as a label for his style of playing with musical conventions,
with elements of different musical languages and gestures of the past. The Polish premiere of his Piano Concerto
was greeted with rave reviews; Szymanski was picked by Lutoslawski as the most promising composer of the
younger generation and is the only Pole commissioned to write a piece for the opening of Disney Hall,
the new home of the Los Angeles Philharmonic. His music is published by Chester.

Fiałkowska:
That sounds interesting enough. What about the etudes?

Harley:
I have a recording of his two studies performed by Sandor Estenyi, a Hungarian pianist who settled in
Warsaw and is one of the pillars of the Warsaw Autumn (a very solid musician, able to play anything at
all, even all sorts of nonsense, which starts to make sense when presented with his exceptional technique
and detached expression). I truly love his music.

Fiałkowska:
This is good, perhaps I will add it on. I'm very excited about this project because it is the kind
of idea that should work: who needs another set of Beethoven sonatas?

Harley:
That is what I think, too.

Fiałkowska:
I don't care if I play it well. There are already great versions - even if there were one, but there
are like twenty great versions of the whole set - so why bother. But even with the Chopin etudes, yes
there are many recordings, but I think that actualy there are only two or maybe three truly great
versions, so there is room for more attempts!!

Harley:
I wish you good luck with this project. I will send you all the information that you need. Right
now though, this is all the time that we have. Perhaps we will meet again and continue talking.
Thank you very much for this conversation.